Deadly Monsoon Floods Ravage Pakistan and Kashmir; Death Toll Mounts Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations

Catastrophic monsoon flooding continues to devastate Pakistan and parts of India-controlled Kashmir, with the death toll climbing sharply as rescue operations intensify and forecasters warn of more torrential rains. In Pakistan’s northwest, particularly Buner district, at least 220 people have perished, with dozens more bodies recovered overnight from homes flattened by flash floods and landslides.

The scale of destruction in areas like Buner, part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is immense. Eyewitnesses describe unprecedented deluges carrying hundreds of boulders and “tons of rocks,” sweeping away homes within minutes. First responders are tirelessly searching for survivors in villages like Pir Baba and Malik Pura, where the majority of fatalities occurred. Local officials report that police stations were also destroyed, highlighting the rapid and overwhelming force of the floodwaters.

Pakistan’s Meteorological Department predicts an intensification of monsoon activity from Sunday onwards, threatening northern and northwestern regions with further heavy rainfall. This year’s monsoon has brought higher-than-normal rainfall, a phenomenon experts attribute to climate change, contributing to a nationwide death toll of 541 since June 26. Beyond the immediate casualties, thousands of tourists have been evacuated from flood-hit areas, and efforts are underway to repair damaged infrastructure. Mass funerals are being held as communities grapple with widespread grief and sorrow.

Meanwhile, in India-controlled Kashmir, rescuers are scouring the remote village of Chositi in Kishtwar district, where flash floods two days prior killed at least 60 people and injured scores more. These floods, which struck during an annual Hindu pilgrimage, have led to the rescue of over 300 people and the evacuation of approximately 4,000 pilgrims. Similar to Pakistan, experts link the increasing frequency of such cloudbursts in the Himalayan regions to climate change.

The current crisis follows Pakistan’s record-breaking 2022 monsoon season, which claimed over 1,700 lives and caused an estimated $40 billion in damages, underscoring the escalating vulnerability of the region to extreme weather events.

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